


i’m looking at you and my heart loves the view (cause you mean everything)

by sugdensrobert



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: M/M, Protective Aaron, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, basically aaron is a protective husband who loves robert, supportive and proud aaron, talk about robert's childhood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-08-30
Packaged: 2020-09-30 22:24:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20454521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugdensrobert/pseuds/sugdensrobert
Summary: aaron overhears a conversation in the pub and is less than happy.





	i’m looking at you and my heart loves the view (cause you mean everything)

**Author's Note:**

> hellooo! yes the title is from a hsm song (right here, right now)  
a fic like this had been on my writing list for a long time and i think it was definitely fuelled by the current screen on screen! i'd very much like to give robert some love and a hug.  
this fic however isn't specifically set in current times, there are no mentions of recent events!
> 
> i hope you enjoy it x

He’s scrolling on his phone half expecting his husband to text him an explanation on why he’s late any moment now. Two pints already placed on the table, Aaron can’t help but start sipping at his own one while he checks out the atmosphere in the pub. It’s a relatively quiet night, he sees some familiar faces but there’s no one he’d particularly want to strike a conversation with. There are the vague sounds of an argument coming from the backroom, Charity clearly frustrated with whatever Marlon has done, or hasn’t done. Aaron sighs, he’s almost ready to start his own argument, Robert was now 15 minutes late and counting. He honestly wouldn’t mind as much if he knew what was going on but he didn’t. The older man had a meeting in Leeds scheduled for the day and had assured Aaron that he’d definitely make it to the pub at 18:30 but there was still no sign of him. Aaron liked to mock his husband for worrying but right now he was starting to get his own anxiety about accidents and injuries.

He’s about to send Robert a text when Marlon walks past him, two plates in hand “oh hiya Aaron- you’re not being stood up are ya?” The chef grins and Aaron rolls his eyes “he’s late” he replies and watches him bring the two meals over to two men Aaron’s never seen before. They are older men who according to Aaron would be the exact men you’d expect to see here in Emmerdale, if you didn’t really know the place. They were both dressed as if it was a snowy day in January and the Woolpack hadn’t heard of heating. One of them even had his tartan cap still firmly pressed on the top of his head.

“So you won’t be wanting to order any food yet then?” Marlon asks, shaking Aaron out of his thoughts.

“No ta Marlon”

_I am still at the pub, where are you? I hope you’re okay xx _ **(18:51)**

He sends the text after giving it the quick once over. It sounds how he wants it to sound, not angry, because he isn’t. He knows Robert wouldn’t turn up late and not let him know for no good reason. They weren’t like that, not nowadays, they knew how worried they could each get and right now that was exactly what Aaron felt, worry.

He drained the last of his pint and walked over to the bar to order a new one when the two older men caught his attention again.

“Isn’t that his young lad?” the one still wearing the cap says, he’s pointing at the wall and Aaron follows their gaze. The picture of young Robert on his dad’s shoulders is staring back at him. The same picture that always manages to make Aaron smile fondly, the young boy looking so happy and carefree all wild blond hair and freckles.

They had that exact picture hanging up on the landing. Diane had it framed for Robert back when they first moved into the Mill, and it had taken a long time before his husband had had the courage to actually put it on display. The best part of a year really, it wasn’t until a few months after him and Robert had gotten back together again that the older man had finally added it to their wall full of memories. It was the only one there of Robert and his dad, but it was enough and Aaron was proud, he was always proud.

The other man was now nodding and Aaron decided to just drink Robert’s pint instead, his earwigging a lot less obvious at his own little table than it would be standing at the bar in full view.

“A tear-away, a right handful as he got older” the cap continues “not sure what will have become of him but I wouldn’t expect too much” he adds making the other man laugh.

Aaron feels his eyes burn with tears, out of anger and frustration but also out of upset he feels for his husband. He wants to tell those two gits exactly what had become of that boy, that he was a wonderful husband and an amazing father but he knew he couldn’t. Not that Robert wasn’t worth it, Robert was worth everything and the fact that these strangers were talking about his husband as if they knew him made his blood boil. No, it were those two men who weren’t worth it, they had no right to any kind of information about his husband, or their relationship. They were the traditional type, Aaron didn’t need to be a genius to realise that. He had no desire to hear their no doubt hurtful opinion on his love for his husband. Especially when these men meant literally nothing to him, or to Robert.

He wanted to go, to text Robert to meet him back at home but the thought of the men continuing to talk about his husband after he had gone, not knowing what else they could be saying made him feel ill so he stayed seated.

“Think Jack was very happy to call that other boy his own. A lot more alike those two. Maybe he still lives here, owning one the big farms up the other end.” Aaron felt his heart sink at the words. He always felt Robert’s sadness and pain whenever he talked about how awful it felt being second best, the tears and upset on his husband’s face enough to make Aaron feel it all with him. Now though, he felt as if he was experiencing it first-hand, as if Jack was alive and he was making his son feel awful right in front of him. What he had just heard confirmed his suspicions, those two men had been friends of Jack’s or had at least been close enough with him to know about his sons.

Aaron was still worried about Robert’s whereabouts but he couldn’t help but feel grateful that he wasn’t here right now. He shifted in his seat trying to restrain himself from shouting how that same amazing Andy they were talking about was now on the run from the police. Sure, he wasn’t guilty but he had still made his fair share of mistakes. He wasn’t the great son of the equally not so great Jack Sugden.

“At least Andy was always looking out for his old man eh, the other one- Robert couldn’t even be bothered turning up at his funeral.”

The man without the cap seemed to have remembered names all of a sudden and Aaron felt his fists clenching in anger at hearing them say Robert’s name. He imagines banging those fists on the table whilst telling them both were to stick it. Aaron felt everything Robert must have felt for so long, and still does now, from time to time. Tears of frustration at the unfairness of it all prickling his eyes. Those twats acting like Jack wasn’t the one that sent Robert away from everything he had ever known at a time when he needed his family more than anything. Acting as if Robert hadn’t been anything but his brave self when he turned up at his dad’s funeral to pay his respects, when Jack had told him to never come back to the village.

But what Aaron really wanted right now, more than anything was to run into his husband’s arms and hug him so tightly, a hug containing all of Aaron’s love for Robert. Aaron realized that it made him feel calmer, thinking about his love for his husband. Robert finally felt like he belonged and knew he was loved and cared for. As much as he wanted to set the two men straight he once again realised that they didn’t deserve to know anything.

With this in mind he tried to keep calm. He checked his phone and saw two messages from Robert. He sighed with relief knowing that the older man hadn’t been in some kind of terrible accident.

_Aaron, I am so so sorry. My phone was in my coat pocket and I couldn’t get to it while driving. Traffic was hectic xxx _ **(19:10)**

_I am on my way to the Woolie now, are you still there? I am so sorry I am late. I love you xxx _ **(19:12)**

Aaron smiled at Robert’s texts before realizing that he’d be here any minute now. He wanted nothing more than to take his husband home, have a night in just the two of them and talk about their day. Mostly, he wanted Robert far away from the men. Their conversation seemed to have moved on from the Sugden boys but he didn’t want his husband anywhere near people that had the values and opinions that Robert had internalised growing up, values and opinions that he had taken as the truth and that had caused him so much heartbreak and grief. Robert didn’t deserve to be in an atmosphere like that after he had come so far, Aaron decided.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts he looked up and was met with the only face he’d been wanting to see for the past few hours. Robert was quickly scanning the pub before his eyes landed on Aaron and he smiled widely. Aaron couldn’t help but smile back as he got up so quickly that he almost tripped over the chairs.

“Hey” Robert says, once Aaron is practically standing right in front of him, he clearly wants to go in for a peck but Aaron pushes at his chest “let’s get out of here eh?”

“What- I thought-“

“Robert- wait outside.” Aaron hates the alarmed and slightly hurt look on his husband’s face but he just needs him to get out of the pub.

When he’s sure Robert is outside waiting for him, he turns around. He’s standing next to the two men who are looking up at him with an annoyed expression on their face, clearly not happy with Aaron looming over them whilst they’re having their meal. Aaron wonders if they recognised Robert before deciding that there’s no way they could have done. If they had actually ever met Robert in person it was when he was a young boy. He had also pushed Robert out of the pub so quickly they probably didn’t even manage to catch a glimpse of him. He quickly looked each of the men in the eye before taking a deep breath.

“That Robert you were just talking about. Yeah I know him- pretty well actually. And you know what? He’s an amazing man, a brilliant husband, a great dad and Jack never deserved him.” It’s strong and unyielding and the men look shocked, shocked at being overheard? Shocked at being overheard gossiping about someone who’s practically a stranger to them? Aaron doesn’t know, but he relishes in the embarrassing look on the men’s faces.

He walks out of the pub, not giving them a second glance. His husband is waiting for him.

The same husband who’s understandably so, quite confused.

Robert’s standing between the benches, looking ready to fire questions at Aaron as soon as he comes out.

“Aaron what the hell was all that about?” Aaron is halfway to Robert’s car but the older man isn’t following, he sighs, knows Robert won’t let it lie.

“It’s fine, it’s sorted” Aaron states, ready to get into the car and get away.

“Yeah, that’s what I am worried about. What exactly did you sort- what happened in there? You were so- I don’t know fired up or something.”

“I’ll tell you when we get home. C’mon Robert I want to get out of here.”

“Have I done something wrong?” Robert was still rooted on the spot and he was watching Aaron with wide eyes.

“What no- no. You haven’t done anything wrong.” Aaron’s voice was softer now realizing that because Robert had no idea what had happened, to him anything could have happened. Maybe he thought Aaron was angry with him because he had been late. Aaron hated that the older man thought he’d upset him somehow, especially after hearing those two twats talk about him like that.

Robert deflated a bit and Aaron came closer, putting his hands on his husband’s arms. “Let’s go home eh? I’ll tell you when we get back. You haven’t done anything wrong I promise.” Aaron reassured again, pulling at Robert’s hand and leading them to the car.

“Thank you” Aaron says, gratefully taking the cup of tea from Robert’s hands. This wasn’t exactly the meal in the pub that they had planned, but when did things ever really go to plan with them?

Robert went to sit next to him on the couch, a cup of tea of his own in his hand. “So? Were you planning some sort of surprise for me or was there someone there that I wasn’t allowed to see?” Robert asks, a smile on his face.

His husband was clearly feeling more relaxed now they were at home and Aaron hated how he was about to break their little bubble. Robert wouldn’t expect this at all. It had never really happened before, bumping into people they knew from years and years ago. They really had been living in their own little bubble recently and Aaron didn’t want it any other way.

“Umm kinda” Aaron starts “well the last bit not the surprise bit. I probably wouldn’t be telling you this if you hadn’t come to the pub but- there were two men there who seemed to know your- Jack. Maybe they were old friends I don’t know. I heard them talking.”

Robert put his cup down and Aaron noticed a slight shake there. His husband had paled slightly, his eyes searching Aaron’s face as if he was waiting for him to say more. Aaron didn’t continue though and Robert looked down.

“I- um so what did they say? Guess it wasn’t anything positive or you wouldn’t be like this now.” Robert was looking up at him waiting for an answer, a fake smile on his face as if this wasn’t bothering him.

“It’s really nothing.”

“Aaron. I want to know, I deserve to know if it was about me.” Aaron nodded, knew that he would want to know too if he was in Robert’s position.

“They said Andy was always there for your dad. They seemed to know about you uh being away.” He says it carefully and decides to keep it at that. He wasn’t going to tell Robert that they mentioned the funeral or that Jack _must _have been so happy to have Andy as a son too.

“What else?”

“Robert- please. Let’s just leave it.”

“Aaron I can handle it, honestly. I’d like to know.” The words _I am used to it_ not said out loud but clearly hanging in the air uncomfortably. His husband seemed tired rather than angry and Aaron didn’t like it. 

“They said Andy and Jack were more alike.” The conversation between the men about his husband was etched in Aaron’s mind, he could repeat it all to Robert right now but he just wasn’t going to do that, he picked out certain bits and pieces. All the bits and pieces were hurtful enough but some more than others and if he could keep the latter ones from Robert, he would.

“That’s true” Robert shrugs his shoulders. “I could be as much of a wild kid as Andy was, but I could also sit quietly and read a book. Dad used to say I was too emotional. I was more like mum in that way. I was always more like her than dad, which is weird maybe because she wasn’t my real mum.”

“Hey- that doesn’t mean anything. Sarah’s your mum” Aaron reassures, knows that Robert knows it as well but he feels like emphasizing it. Robert nods, smiling softly clearly thinking about his mum and Aaron can’t help but scoot even closer and reach out to comb his fingers through his husband’s hair. Aaron thinks about the pictures that are in Robert’s album, tiny Robert reading books in the strangest of places. It reminds him of how much he loves to watch Robert read, his husband still able to get totally engrossed in a book, forgetting about the world around him. Aaron supposes that it has helped Robert a lot over the years.

“There is and wasn’t ever anything wrong with you being different you know.”

“I know that now” Robert says “I did used to think it was wrong though, but now I also know that that wasn’t my fault.” Aaron nods as he watches the older man carefully. It was times like these that Aaron was reminded of everything his husband had been through and the people he had lost over the years. It seemed like Robert was drowning in the bad kind of memories as well and Aaron needed to get him back to the present again.

“Hey” he says softly, touching his arm and squeezing it slightly. The older man looked back up at him and smiled a tiny smile that broke Aaron’s heart a bit.

‘’You alright?” Robert seemed to shake himself out of it a little as he nodded in response. “So what happened then, when you made me wait outside?”

And Aaron had almost forgotten that he hadn’t told Robert about that yet. He smiles sheepishly, hopes that Robert won’t be upset about Aaron defending him.

“Told them how amazing you are, a good husband and dad. I didn’t say you were my husband, I don’t know if they clocked it they’re traditional twats, so probably not. I also told them Jack didn’t deserve ya.”

Aaron’s gaze is focused on Robert’s arm, he is about to look at his husband’s face when he feels Robert lifting up his chin.

“I am not angry or anything if that’s what you think. How can I be?” Robert has a fond, kind smile on his face and Aaron matches it, releasing a sigh of relief. “I was just worried. I didn’t say anything while they were talking. I was planning on not saying anything- which sounds awful but I don’t know.” Aaron takes a deep breath, knows he’s rambling. “Didn’t want them knowing anything about ya, about us. They didn’t deserve to. But I just couldn’t walk out of there without saying anything. Especially after I had just seen ya.” Aaron feels his cheeks warm at his honesty and Robert’s smile turns slightly shy, his eyes still bright.

“Thanks for telling me” Robert says after they’ve let the silence linger on for a bit. “I know you didn’t really want to tell me, which I understand. But I’d rather know I guess. It’s kind of weird though, that strangers were talking about me just because they knew me as a kid and knew my dad. But I am okay, honest. I don’t know them, they don’t mean anything to us.”

“Good” Aaron says, convinced Robert knows he hasn’t told him everything, he could probably guess everything anyway. Even the things the men hadn’t said aloud. It wasn’t like Robert used those exact opinions and thoughts to beat himself up with, over and over again. It was time for Aaron to voice some of his own now. He laid his head on Robert’s shoulder, his husband moving his head so that they were touching.

“I am so proud of you Robert.”

“Give over, I haven’t done anything!” Robert lifted his head up, frowning, looking honestly quite confused.

“Yeah ya have. So much and I’m better at telling ya now, so you do know but I just wanted to say it again. I know we had a time of it in the past and things were hard but look at us now eh. You were afraid for so long because of what your dad did to ya. But you still married me and we have Seb and we’re planning on expanding our little family. You’re strong and brave as hell.”

“Aaron-“

“No I need to say this. Jack, he was traditional and you wanted to make him proud, but you know what, you have done. And if he, up there, doesn’t think so he’s got another thing coming. I meant everything I told those two, you are an amazing man, husband and father. And I and everyone else who cares about you is lucky to have ya alright?”

Robert seemed overwhelmed but nodded anyway. He gulped, tears filling his eyes “it’s not like I could have done any of this without you.”

“We help each other don’t we, we always will. But that still makes ya strong, and needing help doesn’t ever make ya weak.” They had had this conversation a lot over the past few years. It had always been one of their problems, but especially Robert still liked wanting to face everything on his own. But the both of them were slowly getting better at asking for help and it was one of the things that made them so solid now.

“So- are we gonna order in then, seeing as we didn’t get our tea at the pub?” Aaron grins.

“Sounds like a plan husband” Aaron was happy to see that Robert wasn’t dwelling on what he had told him. He could read the older man so well that he wasn’t doubting that. His husband had clearly listened to his speech and taken all of that in, instead of whatever those two gits had had to say. It was a sign of progress really because negative things were much more likely to stick in your mind weren’t they? And Robert was very good at taking negative things to heart.

Aaron’s train of thought was cut short by his husband, who pressed a kiss to his forehead. “As a thank you for defending me. I wish I had seen it, must have been really sexy.” Aaron laughed, not able to resist punching Robert lightly on the arm.

“Well that’s the last time I’ll be doing anything nice for ya.”

“You keep telling yourself that.”

And Aaron knew that’d be no use. He’d defend Robert until the end of time.

**Author's Note:**

> as always, thank you so much for reading! x


End file.
